Friday Food News

Chefs and restaurants have been adding more pineapple, coconut and other tropical flavors to the menu in recent months, according to Technomic. Cuban-inspired Sriracha Black Bean Soup made with coconut milk is Corner Bakery Cafe’s latest limited-time offering, and pineapple features in Applebee’s Grill & Bar’s Sweet Chile Brisket Sliders.

The 17th annual Worlds of Flavor conference at CIA’s Greystone campus in St. Helena, Calif., will center around Asian cuisine, featuring chefs from around the world cooking a range of dishes that show how Asian cuisine has influenced other cultures. Sourcing ingredients for the chefs can be a challenge, and sometimes chefs bring their own supplies. “In general, I tell chefs that if they can get something through customs, they can present it,” writes Scott Samuel, executive chef for the CIA Industry Leadership division.

By 2020, sales of natural/organic foods are expected to represent 14% of total food sales. A session at the recent Natural Products Expo West discussed six key forces shaping the industry: ancient wisdom, feed me (challenges of feeding a growing population), food tribes (from paganism [ paleo + veganism] to lessitarians and flexitarians), transcendent transparency, snackification, and the value(s) shopper.

MCDONALD’S MODERN MENU MAKEOVER WILL MAKE ROOM FOR KALEVia Reuters and CNBC

McDonald’s, which booked a bigger-than-forecast 4% same-store sales drop last month, promised shareholders Monday it will transform itself into a “modern, progressive burger company.” The chain plans to add kale as a salad or smoothie ingredient in the near future, as part of a bigger effort to improve its reputation for food quality, according to Janney Capital Markets.

Quickservice chains looking to boost sales and market share are increasingly experimenting with better-for-you “super foods” such as kale, quinoa and yogurt. Wendy’s has tested a spinach, chicken and quinoa salad, McDonald’s plans to put kale on the menu in the near future, and Taco Bell will launch a Greek yogurt test this summer.

Red blends have seen explosive growth in recent years, now accounting for $900 million in annual sales, according to Nielsen, and the shift from varietals to blends has become an unstoppable trend among diners that want an affordable bottle that’s easy to enjoy, writes Lettie Teague, who recommends the 2012 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee, 2011 DYN 2880 Napa Valley Red, 2011 DeLille Cellars D2, 2012 Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys and the Bedrock Wine Co. Shebang! Eighth Cuvee.

Frito-Lay is back with an updated version of their 3D product. Originally released in the mid-1990s, Doritos 3D were bite-sized triangle puffs filled with air. Though they were pulled from the shelves in the early 2000s, fans everywhere have been calling for Frito-Lay to bring them back. Now their prayers have been answered. The newest 3D Doritos chip is part of the company’s jacked flavor line. Its first flavor is a spicy Jalapeno Pepper Jack, soon to be followed by Bacon Cheddar Ranch this summer.

The release of Apple’s smartwatch and other wearables could change the way consumers shop and interact with retailers, according to Rehabstudio Creative Partner Tim Rodgers. Rehabstudio created a mock-up redesign of a Whole Foods store that includes open aisles, flex space, a community kitchen and a hydroponic garden to reflect how beacon technology and wearable devices might affect store design.